The Future Of Ultrasound Probe Disinfection The End Of Manual Reprocessing

The Future of Ultrasound Probe Disinfection Guidelines: The End of Manual Reprocessing?

In December 2021, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) released its updated ANSI/AAMI ST91:2021, "Comprehensive...
Providing An HLD Solution The Problem Of HPV Probe Transmission

Providing an (HLD) Solution to the Problem of HPV Probe Transmission

42 million. That's the current number of Americans infected with human papillomavirus (or as it's commonly referred to, "HPV"). Spread through...
How Healthcare Workers Can Neutralize Burnout And Low Morale

How Healthcare Workers Can Neutralize Burnout and Low Morale

For the last two years, the ongoing battle against COVID-19 has left many healthcare workers defeated and overwhelmed. According to a Washington...
How Healthcare Managers Can Neutralize Burnout And Low Morale

How Healthcare Managers Can Neutralize Burnout and Low Morale

Consider the following statistics: Over the last 2.5 years, 86% of frontline workers have reported struggling with symptoms of...
Caring For Your Ultrasound Transducer Top Cleaning And Disinfection Tips

Caring for Your Ultrasound Transducer: Top Cleaning and Disinfection Tips

Ultrasound imaging is a tool that is frequently performed by sonographers, doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. With increasingly...
Which HLD

Which High-Level Disinfectant Is Right For My Facility?

High-level disinfection is defined as the chemical method of killing all microorganisms in or on a medical instrument, except for a small...
The Danger Of Prostate Cancer

The Danger of Prostate Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), prostate cancer currently ranks as the second most common type of cancer in American men, with 2022...
7 Things Youre Forgetting

Top 7 Things You're Forgetting When Reprocessing Your Ultrasound Probe

Maintaining infection prevention & control (IPC) protocol for your ultrasound probes that ensures the integrity of your transducers and the...
Tips To Make US Vascular More Efficient

Top Tips for Making Ultrasound-Guided Vascular Access Procedures More Efficient

The utilization of ultrasound with aiding in vascular access procedures has been a regular practice for nearly four decades. Over that time, a great...
Tips For Making Ultrasound Guided Vascular Access Procedures Safer

Top Tips for Making Ultrasound-Guided Vascular Access Procedures Safer

Since 1984, ultrasound has been regularly utilized in a wide variety of vascular access procedures, ranging from ultrasound-guided central venous...
Safely Using Ultrasound For Vascular Access

Safely Using Ultrasound for Vascular Access

Ultrasound is often used by vascular access teams and nurses to guide certain vascular access procedures, such as placing PICC lines or...
Reduce The Spread Of Infection In Ultrasound

Reduce the Spread of Infection in Ultrasound

Medical facilities exist to care for and improve the health of their patients. However, a major concern for patients is the risk of getting an...
ASTRA Automated Ultrasound Probe Reprocessor Upgrade For Enhanced Logging Quality Assurance

ASTRA Automated Ultrasound Probe Reprocessor: Enhanced Logging & Quality Assurance

The Joint Commission (TJC) states: "Standardizing the use of high-level disinfectants and sterilization practices are critical for ensuring that...
How To High Level Disinfect US Transducers Part 1

How to High-Level Disinfect Ultrasound Transducers, Part I

A previous blog post took you through the necessary steps for cleaning ultrasound transducers in How to Clean an Ultrasound Probe. Cleaning is a...
How To Clean Ultrasound Probes

How to Clean an Ultrasound Probe

Cleaning is a mandatory first step in the high-level disinfection process of intracavity ultrasound transducers, such as transesophageal and...
Changing Way You Think About Endocavity Covers

A Breakthrough in New Ultrasound Probe Cover Research

The required use of a probe cover for every endocavity ultrasound procedure has been well established by standards set by governing bodies and...
JCAHO Anxiety

Anxious About The Joint Commission Survey? Learn How Customers Prepared for High-Level Disinfection with ASTRA

The Joint Commission (TJC) was founded in 1951, with an inspiring vision to transform how people experience healthcare across all settings. In this...
Improve Fine Needle Aspiration

Improve Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) Biopsies by Eliminating a Common Step

Fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNAs) are common procedures performed by physicians around the world, in facilities large and small. An FNA...
Reduce Contamination Risk

Reduce the Risk of Contamination in Ultrasound-Guided Procedures

Infection prevention and control is a major focus of healthcare facilities to 1) lower the risk of patients contracting healthcare acquired...
JCAHO Anxiety

Have Anxiety About Your Joint Commission Audit? Achieve Compliant Logging and Consistent, Quality Disinfection - Part I

What's the problem? As the steps to reprocess medical devices using high-level disinfection increase and the population of patients imaged...
Ultrasound Probe Daily Transport

Ultrasound Probe Daily Transport: Does Your Transport Process Control Infection or Spread It?

In 2017, The Joint Commission released new data showing that many hospitals seeking accreditation continue to struggle with meeting...
International Infection Prevention In The Ultrasound Suite

International Infection Prevention in the Ultrasound Suite

Prevention is always better than the cure! Infection prevention is an ongoing patient safety issue that must be at the forefront of every healthcare...
The Importance Of Sterile Technique In Vascular Access Procedures

The Importance of Sterile Technique in Vascular Access Procedures

Why is it so important to practice sterile technique during vascular access procedures as a part of the overall infection control protocol in...
The Role Of Contrast Ultrasound In Liver Interventions

The Role of Contrast Ultrasound in Liver Interventions

Since the spring of 2016, the growth of ultrasound in the United States has erupted with the FDA approval of contrast for liver examinations. The...
Improving Safety And Ergonomics In The Operating Room With The TEE Probe Holder

Improving Safety and Ergonomics in the Operating Room with the TEE Probe Holder

As medical professionals, we constantly evaluate situations, identify problems and take action to ensure the best results. From frontline...
Joint Commission And Infection Control Compliance

The Joint Commission and Infection Control Compliance: Confusion or Confidence?

Patient safety and maintaining The Joint Commission (TJC) accreditation standards are two of the most important (if not THE most important)...
Can A Probe Cover Simplify Your Workflow For Ultrasound Guided Procedures

Can a Probe Cover Simplify Your Workflow for Ultrasound Guided Procedures?

When ultrasound is used for point-of-care needle guided procedures, including vascular access or regional anesthesia, it is recommended by the FDA...
Automated Reprocessing For Ultrasound Probes

Automated Reprocessing for Ultrasound Probes

Introducing Automated Disinfection Systems for Ultrasound Transducers With the steady growth of ultrasound combined with an increasing awareness of...
How To Safely Store Your Ultrasound Probes

How to Safely Store Your Ultrasound Probes

The Joint Commission (TJC) has defined guidelines on storage for semi-critical devices: "The endoscope should be hung vertically with the distal tip...
Ultrasound In The Diagnosis Of Prostate Cancer

Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer continues to be the second most common occurring cancer in men9. According to The American Cancer Society, the estimated number of...
Can A Needle Guide Simplify Ultrasound Guided Procedures

Can A Needle Guide Simplify Ultrasound-Guided Procedures?

Since their introduction more than three decades ago, mechanical needle guides have been used to assist clinicians in the accuracy of placing needles...
What To Consider When Selecting Probe Covers For Ultrasound Procedures

What to Consider When Selecting Probe Covers for Ultrasound Procedures

While selecting the appropriate probe cover for your ultrasound examination may seem a rather simple task, there are several key points to consider...
Top Tips For High Level Disinfection In Ultrasound – Part II

Top Tips for High-Level Disinfection in Ultrasound - Part II

We continue sharing ultrasound probe cleaning guidelines in part two of our "Top Tips for High-Level Disinfection in Ultrasound" series. If you...
Top Tips For High Level Disinfection Of Ultrasound Probes – Part I

Top Tips for High-Level Disinfection of Ultrasound Probes - Part I

CIVCO's blog will provide you with a wealth of information to help you implement best practices for high-level disinfection in ultrasound. These...
TEE Probe High Level Disinfection

TEE Probe High-Level Disinfection

The process of performing high-level disinfection on ultrasound probes - both transesophageal (TEE) and endocavity transducers - possesses unique...
Ultrasound Cabinets Compliance Guidelines

Ultrasound Cabinets: Compliance Guidelines

In recent years, proper storage of ultrasound probes has fallen under the increased scrutiny of compliance surveyors. The Joint Commission (TJC)...
How To Safely Store Your Ultrasound Probes

Store Ultrasound Probes Safely

The Joint Commission issued guidelines on storage for semi-critical devices in 2013: "Store the device in a manner that will protect from damage or...
Best Practice For TEE Probes Electrical Leak Testing

Best Practice for TEE Probes: Electrical Leak Testing

If your facility's goals are to improve patient safety, ensure compliance and extend the life of your transesophageal (TEE) transducers, then...
Tips For TEE Probe Disinfection

Tips for TEE Probe Disinfection

When it comes to disinfecting transesophageal (TEE) probes, the process can be more challenging than other endocavity probes. Let's touch on some of...
Let CIVCO Help With Joint Commission Compliance Challenges

Let CIVCO Help with Joint Commission Compliance Challenges

According to The Joint Commission (TJC), the second most commonly cited area for noncompliance in hospitals in 2015 has been related to 'the...
The Latest On Ultrasound Transducer Storage

The Latest on Ultrasound Transducer Storage

While attending a radiology conference, we met an ultrasound manager who shared an experience from her last inspection when objections were raised...
Looking For An OPA Alternative That Delivers Value

Looking for an OPA-Alternative that Delivers Value?

New HLD disinfectants, such as hydrogen peroxide-based HLDs, have emerged that offer some distinct benefits and thus merit review. Our GUS...
Pre Cleaning Ultrasound Probes Is A Mandatory Step

Pre-Cleaning Ultrasound Probes is a Mandatory Step!

As new technologies emerge for disinfection of ultrasound probes, it's timely to restate the critical importance of pre-cleaning before you...
Thinking About Automation For Your Ultrasound Probes

Thinking About Automation for Your Ultrasound Probes?

Automated disinfection of your ultrasound probes improves workflow and standardizes the disinfection process. While automated reprocessing of...
TEE Probe Leak Test Soon Mandatory

Get Ready! TEE Probe Leak Test Soon Mandatory

*UPDATE: Effective 12/31/15, electrical leak testing of TEE probes is now mandatory per the IAC. Proper maintenance of your TEE probe is critical to...
Challenges In The Disinfection Of Ultrasound Probes

Challenges in the Disinfection of Ultrasound Probes

Below is a whitepaper featured in Infection Control Today, written by PCI Medical (now CIVCO Medical Solutions). INTRODUCTION With over 6,000...
Use A Thermometer For High Level Disinfectants

Use a Thermometer For High-Level Disinfectants

PCI Medical (CIVCO Medical Solutions) offers an easy-to-use thermometer to help you ensure that you are using your High-Level Disinfectants at the...
Longer Fully Enclosed GUS Disinfection Soak Stations Now Available

Longer, Fully Enclosed GUS Disinfection Soak Stations Now Available

PCI Medical (CIVCO Medical Solutions) announces two new fully enclosed GUS Disinfection Soak Stations with longer disinfection containers. The new,...
Ventilation Standards For OPA Glutaraldehyde And Hydrogen Peroxide

Ventilation Standards for OPA, Glutaraldehyde, and Hydrogen Peroxide

Customers regularly ask us specific questions about vapor and fume control, which has been our area of expertise since 1995. That said, this week's...
How To High Level Disinfect Ultrasound Transducers Part II

How to High-Level Disinfect Ultrasound Transducers, Part II

Before we delve into the high-level disinfection process of ultrasound probes, let's review the highlights that we covered in Part 1: ...
Spill Kits For OPA Glutaraldehyde Hydrogen Peroxide Peracetic Acid

Spill Kits for OPA, Glutaraldehyde, Hydrogen Peroxide & Peracetic Acid

"It is important that all spills, including drips and splashes, be cleaned up immediately." * According to OSHA and ANSI (Association of the...
Infection Control Standards In Physician Offices

Infection Control Standards in Physician Offices

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the trend in healthcare services has shifted significantly from inpatient hospital...
High Level Disinfection Log And Temperature Guidelines

High Level Disinfection Log and Temperature Guidelines

PCI Medical (CIVCO Medical Solutions) customers often ask us questions related to the temperature of their high-level disinfectants. Some questions...
How To Dispose Of High Level Disinfectants Safely

How to Dispose of High Level Disinfectants Safely

For many healthcare workers, the act of dumping non-deactivated disinfectant solutions down the drain is a common practice, with many believing that...